Clinical Application of Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection for Diabetic Macular Edema Comparing Two Loading Regimens
<i>Background and Objectives</i>: We investigated and compared the efficacy of three and five monthly loading regimens of an intravitreal aflibercept injection (IVA) in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). <i>Materials and Methods</i>: This was a retrospective study th...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Medicina |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/3/558 |
| _version_ | 1827748816360570880 |
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| author | Yoo-Ri Chung Kyung Ho Lee Kihwang Lee |
| author_facet | Yoo-Ri Chung Kyung Ho Lee Kihwang Lee |
| author_sort | Yoo-Ri Chung |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | <i>Background and Objectives</i>: We investigated and compared the efficacy of three and five monthly loading regimens of an intravitreal aflibercept injection (IVA) in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). <i>Materials and Methods</i>: This was a retrospective study that included patients diagnosed with DME and treated with an either three or five monthly aflibercept loading regimen from July 2018 to March 2022. Information on clinical characteristics and changes in the central retinal thickness (CRT) were obtained from medical records. <i>Results</i>: In total, 44 eyes of 44 patients with DME treated with IVA were included in this study, with 30 eyes treated with 3-monthly loadings (three-loading group) and 14 eyes with 5-monthly loadings (five-loading group). The mean CRT significantly decreased from the baseline one month after loading in both the three-loading and five-loading groups (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Four cases were refractory to treatment in the three-loading group, while there were no cases of refractory DME in the five-loading group. The stability rate was significantly higher in the five-loading group at three months after loading (<i>p</i> = 0.033). <i>Conclusions</i>: Five-monthly loading regimens of IVA might be favorable for DME considering the rate of refractory cases, stable duration, and the importance of early responsiveness to IVA in DME. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:12:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-490391a769d74a4e9370dfc0103af240 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1010-660X 1648-9144 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:12:14Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Medicina |
| spelling | doaj.art-490391a769d74a4e9370dfc0103af2402023-11-17T12:32:21ZengMDPI AGMedicina1010-660X1648-91442023-03-0159355810.3390/medicina59030558Clinical Application of Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection for Diabetic Macular Edema Comparing Two Loading RegimensYoo-Ri Chung0Kyung Ho Lee1Kihwang Lee2Department of Ophthalmology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 16499, Republic of KoreaLove Eye Clinic, Hwaseong 18309, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Ophthalmology, Ajou University School of Medicine, Suwon 16499, Republic of Korea<i>Background and Objectives</i>: We investigated and compared the efficacy of three and five monthly loading regimens of an intravitreal aflibercept injection (IVA) in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME). <i>Materials and Methods</i>: This was a retrospective study that included patients diagnosed with DME and treated with an either three or five monthly aflibercept loading regimen from July 2018 to March 2022. Information on clinical characteristics and changes in the central retinal thickness (CRT) were obtained from medical records. <i>Results</i>: In total, 44 eyes of 44 patients with DME treated with IVA were included in this study, with 30 eyes treated with 3-monthly loadings (three-loading group) and 14 eyes with 5-monthly loadings (five-loading group). The mean CRT significantly decreased from the baseline one month after loading in both the three-loading and five-loading groups (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Four cases were refractory to treatment in the three-loading group, while there were no cases of refractory DME in the five-loading group. The stability rate was significantly higher in the five-loading group at three months after loading (<i>p</i> = 0.033). <i>Conclusions</i>: Five-monthly loading regimens of IVA might be favorable for DME considering the rate of refractory cases, stable duration, and the importance of early responsiveness to IVA in DME.https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/3/558afliberceptdiabetic retinopathymacular edemaintravitreal injection |
| spellingShingle | Yoo-Ri Chung Kyung Ho Lee Kihwang Lee Clinical Application of Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection for Diabetic Macular Edema Comparing Two Loading Regimens Medicina aflibercept diabetic retinopathy macular edema intravitreal injection |
| title | Clinical Application of Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection for Diabetic Macular Edema Comparing Two Loading Regimens |
| title_full | Clinical Application of Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection for Diabetic Macular Edema Comparing Two Loading Regimens |
| title_fullStr | Clinical Application of Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection for Diabetic Macular Edema Comparing Two Loading Regimens |
| title_full_unstemmed | Clinical Application of Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection for Diabetic Macular Edema Comparing Two Loading Regimens |
| title_short | Clinical Application of Intravitreal Aflibercept Injection for Diabetic Macular Edema Comparing Two Loading Regimens |
| title_sort | clinical application of intravitreal aflibercept injection for diabetic macular edema comparing two loading regimens |
| topic | aflibercept diabetic retinopathy macular edema intravitreal injection |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1648-9144/59/3/558 |
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